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Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
2,000 fruit trees cut: Himachal Pradesh high court says continue to clear forest land
Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh high court on Wednesday reiterated that state govt authorities must ensure apple and other fruit trees planted on encroached forest land in the state were removed in equal terms. The division bench, comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Bipin Chander Negi, was apprised by the state govt that officials of the forest and revenue departments, under the ongoing drive, had so far removed over 2,000 trees of apples and other fruits from encroached forest land mainly in three villages of Shimla district — Chaithla in Kotkhai tehsil and Sarahan village in Kumarsain tehsil. During the previous hearing on July 14, the court clarified that the order for the removal of apple trees from forest land was not limited to orchards where attempts were being made to reoccupy govt land. The court also directed the state govt on Wednesday to file a fresh status report on the next date of hearing about the strict compliance of the court orders for the removal of encroachment in a transparent manner. The status report must also mention the undue profit earned by encroachers by not only cutting down the forest trees but also utilising the land over the years by sowing crops and raising orchards so that recovery proceedings can be initiated against them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The court also observed loopholes in the status reports being filed in the court and the factual ground position pertaining to the encroachment over govt land. Minister Raises Concern Education minister Rohit Thakur, who is MLA from the apple-growing Jubbal-Kotkhai constituency, on Wednesday said it was a matter of serious concern and fruit-bearing trees should not have been cut during monsoon, which is when plantation drives are carried out. He added that though the eviction drive was being carried out on high court directions, he would take up the issue with chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, as it was not good to cut fruit trees when the crop was ready for harvest in just a few weeks. The minister added at least small farmers needed to be saved. In 2015-16, the then Congress govt took an initiative to come up with a policy to benefit farmers who owned less than five bighas of need-based encroachment by landless or small farmers, but the govt changed in 2017, said Thakur. Himachal Kisan Sabha and Himachal Seb Utpadak Sangh, led-by former MLA from Shimla and CPI(M) leader Rakesh Singha, have been urging the immediate intervention of the chief minister to stop the eviction proceedings. They have also given a call to gherao the Himachal Pradesh Secretariat in Shimla on July 29.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Felling of apple trees: Himachal farmers urge state govt to intervene
Himachal Kisan Sabha and the Himachal Seb Utpadak Sangh on Monday condemning the ongoing cutting of trees in various parts of Himachal Pradesh following the orders of the high court, has asked the state to intervene in the matter, while announcing an emergency meeting in Hatkoti Jubbal to plan protests against 'illegal evictions.' Addressing the issue of fruit-bearing trees being cut down mid-season, Himachal revenue minister Negi revealed that the state government had filed an application in the HC through the advocate general to temporarily halt the cutting of such trees until the harvest is completed, allowing farmers to salvage their produce. (File) Addressing a press conference, former Theog MLA and Himachal Kisan Sabha member Rakesh Singha termed the ongoing eviction drive, particularly the cutting of apple orchards in Kotkhai and surrounding villages, as 'legally flawed' and 'anti-farmer'. Singha said, 'The apple trees being cut down are not mere encroachments; they are standing orchards planted decades ago, a source of livelihood for thousands of small farmers. The high court must understand the difference between forest land and cultivable land used by farmers for generations.' 'We are not against the forest. But forest conservation cannot come at the cost of destroying livelihoods. What we demand is justice, land demarcation, and protection not bulldozers and axe-wielding forest officials,' he said. The farmers are protesting against the eviction drive being carried out by the authorities following the July 2 order passed by a division bench of justices Vivek Singh Thakur and Bipin C Negi of the Shimla HC, which instructed the state to remove encroachments especially apple plantations from forest land and begin reforestation efforts. 'The administration has failed to distinguish between encroached land and that held lawfully or awaiting regularisation under the 2000 Amendment to the Himachal Pradesh Land Revenue Act,' said Singha. Sohan Thakur, president of the Seb Utpadak Sangh, said, ' It is wrong to claim that apples are not a forest species. Evictions and tree cutting on this basis are unjust and a misuse of the court's interim orders. Sanjay Chauhan, senior farmer leader and former Shimla Mayor, called for a complete stay on all eviction proceedings until land surveys and demarcation are completed. Enforcing court's orders: Negi Reacting on the issue, minister for horticulture, revenue, and tribal development Jagat Negi on Monday said, 'The issue of encroachment on forest land is not new and has already been adjudicated by the high court'. 'These are not fresh cases. All these matters passed through the due administrative process from divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners and finally reached the HC. The court has delivered its verdict, and government departments such as the forest department have been directed to strictly enforce the court's orders,' Negi said. He further clarified that there is no scope for the state government to frame a policy outside the ambit of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. Addressing the issue of fruit-bearing trees being cut down mid-season, Negi revealed that the state government had filed an application in the HC through the advocate general to temporarily halt the cutting of such trees until the harvest is completed, allowing farmers to salvage their produce. 'Unfortunately, the HC turned down that application. So the state has no choice but to comply with the court's final directive,' the minister confirmed.
